February is winding down, and it is freezing cold! If you’re like us, dear reader, you might be thinking about escaping from the mountains of snow that are covering everything right now. Suddenly, situations that wouldn’t normally be appealing are starting to look a little better, like being stranded on a desert island! Just think, you might have to scavenge for food, build a shelter, and find a clever way to make fire, but at least you won’t have to shovel for an hour just to get to work on time! Suppose you were stuck on a desert island right now. Since this is escapism, maybe it isn’t such a dire situation. Maybe food and shelter washed up on the beach, so you can just relax and enjoy the alone time in a climate where it’s sunny and 78. Maybe a box of books washed up on the beach also, which ones would you like to find when you opened it? You’ve got all the time in the world now, and it’s such a nice day…

The old favorites

A lot of the SPL staff were hoping to find some personal favorite books in their desert island book box. Something they loved, and can enjoy again for the second (or third, or fourth) time. Some of these favorite titles include:

Some of our staff members thought about the books that they have always wanted to read, but just haven’t had the chance to do it yet. Whether the book is very long, or very complex, if you are stuck on a desert island then you don’t have to worry about it! Some of the books we would tackle are:

Those books should last us a good long time. Hopefully by the time we’re done, a rescue ship will have found us. Until then, what would you be reading if you were laying on a warm sunny beach with all the time in the world?

February is Black History Month and we’re excited to celebrate some of our favorite African-American authors. Here are some great books to discover or enjoy for a second read.

I know why the caged bird singsby Maya Angelou This autobiography covers the poet’s life and struggles through her formative years. Despite her troubles, the book emphasizes the power of the human spirit. I know why the caged bird sings is also the topic for February’s Creecy Book Discussion group.

Belovedby Toni Morrison Sethe was born a slave but escaped to Ohio. She is still haunted by the horror of her former life and the baby she was forced to kill in order to prevent being recaptured. Beloved is a hauntingly beautiful read that is full of suspense.

The girl who fell from the skyby Heidi W. Durrow After a family tragedy, Rachel is sent to live with her African-American grandmother. As the daughter of Danish mother and African-American father, Rachel is forced to confront her racial identity for the first time. As she grieves, she must also piece together the mystery surrounding her parent’s death. The girl who fell from the sky is a beautiful coming of age story as well as a thoughtful commentary on racism and identity.

Pymby Mat Johnson Chris Jaynes is the only African-American English professor at a small liberal arts college. Much to the college’s dismay, he has chosen to study Edgar Allan Poe instead of African-American literature. When he comes across a 19th-century manuscript that suggests Poe’s novel about an African diaspora colony in the South Pole may be real, he goes on an expedition to Antarctica to find out for himself. This satirical fantasy explores race relations in America.

Twelve years a slaveby Solomon Northrup Read the powerful memoir that inspired the Oscar-winning movie. Northrup was born a free man in New York but was kidnapped and sold into slavery. His account provides extensive detail about his experience as a slave and his quest to freedom.

The twelve tribes of Hattieby Ayana Mathis At fifteen-years old, Hattie flees Georgia and heads north to Philadelphia in the hope of a better life. She marries a man; but, their marriage is far from a fairy tale. Together they have eleven children, two of which die not long after birth. She decides to prepare her children for the world of struggle she has come to know. Twelve stories weave together to form a testament of a mother’s love and courage.

Let America be America againby Langston Hughes This collection of Hughes’s poems is powerful and provocative. They paint a beautiful picture of what he hopes America could be. These iconic poems help summarize the beauty and the passion of the Harlem Renaissance.

You can find these great stories and more on the 2nd and 3rd floor of the Southfield Public Library. For more information about these authors and other influential African Americans, stop by the Reference desk or visit our website.

The job search solution: the ultimate system for finding a great job now! by Tony Beshara This book discusses the most common problems that job-seekers face today and how to navigate those pitfalls to find a job that’s right for them. This book features real-life examples, interactive exercises and practical “dos” and “don’ts” to get yourself noticed by an employer.

Knock ‘em dead: the ultimate job search guide by Martin Yate This book helps readers craft their resume and build their social media branding. It is packed with advice that will help you stand out from the writing your resume to interviewing for a position. “Knock ‘em dead” is a great series to help in your job searching process.

The career coward’s guide to resumes: sensible strategies for overcoming job search fears by Katy Piotrowski Looking for a job can be intimidating. This book helps readers assess their strengths and weaknesses so they can better promote themselves. This books motivates people to make small risks that can translate into big career changes. See the other books in the Career Coward series for additional tips for each step of the searching process.

Do what you are: discover the perfect career for you through the secrets of personality type by Paul D. Tieger, Barbara Barron, and Kelly Tieger If you’re looking to change career paths but do not know what to do next, this book may be great for you. This book has a step-by-step guide to identifying your personality type, so you can determine what careers are the best fit for you. By knowing your strengths and weaknesses, it is easier to focus-in on the type of work that will be the most fulfilling to you.

Michigan day trips by theme by Mike Link Do you need to get out of town but you don’t have time for a vacation? Check out this book and explore somewhere new in our great state. Day trips are organized by areas of interest. String together a couple of trips to craft your own weekend getaway.

Eyewitness Travel Do know where you want to go but you don’t know what to do when you get there? Try one of our Eyewitness Travel books! They are packed with great travel tips, maps, and attractions. These guidebooks are broken down by country, major region, or major city. Also try the Fordor travel guidebooks.

The year is almost over, and the time has come to look back on our favorite books of 2014. This list focuses on the worlds of imagination; visions of the future, and different realms where anything is possible. Here they are, my favorite science fiction and fantasy books of the year! (This list is in the order of release date.)

The Emperor’s Blades by Brian Staveley is the first book in a new fantasy series. The Emperor of the Annurian Empire has been murdered, and his three (adult) children must unravel the conspiracy behind his death. Hearing the news in separate corners of the land, they must face their own intrigues and challenges to avenge their father and inherit the throne.

The Martian by Andy Weir is the near-future, hard science fiction tale of an astronaut left stranded on Mars. As NASA astronauts carry out the second manned mission to the red planet, a sandstorm separates Mark Watney from the rest of his crew. Forced to survive alone in a completely inhospitable environment, Watney’s tale is told through his harrowing, yet hilarious, journal entries.

Influx by Daniel Suarez asks the question, “Are smart phones really humanity’s most significant innovation since the moon landings?” A powerful shadow organization is keeping the world in an artificial dark age, in order to prevent the societal upheaval that new advanced technology could bring. When one scientist is imprisoned for inventing a gravity device, he must try to find a way to defeat this organization and help bring humanity to the future.

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson is the massive sequel to the equally enormous first book, The Way of Kings. Describing this story in a paragraph is impossible. It is set on the world of Roshar, a world both alien and magical, where gigantic hurricane-like storms scour the surface every few days and life has adapted accordingly. Roshar is shared by humans and the enigmatic, humanoid Parshendi, with whom they are at war. The story of this war and the characters embroiled in it continues in this amazing book.

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence is the start of a new series by the author who brought you the BrokenEmpireTrilogy. Through a series of fantastical events of courtly intrigue, a cursed minor royal, tenth in line for the throne, must go on a journey with a Norse warrior. On the way, they encounter grave dangers, willing women, and the eventual realization that they are nothing but pawns in a game that is leading to war.

Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb starts at the end, or what should have been the end. After many years of peaceful “retirement”, a former assassin must leave his cozy life when his past comes erupting back into the picture. A messenger comes seeking the assassin, but dies violently before he can reach him. Who killed the messenger? What was the message? These questions lead to a new adventure for an old adventurer.

The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley steamrolls through from chapter one, promising to become one of the best fantasy series in years. A war is raging on the eve of a cataclysmic event that is known to change entire worlds. As the dark star of the cataclysm rises, an illegitimate ruler is tasked with holding together a country fractured by civil war, a precocious young fighter is asked to betray his family and a general must choose between the eradication of her father’s people or loyalty to her alien Empress.

Lock In by John Scalzi tells the story of a virus pandemic, taking place fifteen years from today. The virus causes approximately 1% of the world to become “locked in”, fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. As society adapts to the fact that millions of people are locked in, a virtual reality world is created for these victims to interact with other humans, both locked-in and not. It is also discovered that certain people have brains that are receptive to control, and the locked-in can “ride” them, controlling their bodies for a time.

Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie continues the story that began in 2013’s Ancillary Justice. The story follows a soldier known as Breq. Breq was once Justice of Toren – a spaceship artificial intelligence, but an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance.

The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin brings the award-winning writing of China’s most beloved science fiction author to English readers for the first time. A secret Chinese military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion.

Stop by the Southfield Public Library to inquire about these titles, and many more in our science fiction section!

We observe Veterans Day on November 11, the anniversary of the armistice that ended the hostilities of World War I. As we thank our veterans for their service to the United States, it is also a good time to reflect upon and learn more about what they did for us. Here is a list of a few books to read, keeping in mind the sacrifices our veterans made!

Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose tells of the men in Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, US Army. Men who fought, went hungry, froze & died, a company that took 150% casualties & considered the Purple Heart a badge of office.

Flags of Our Fathers by James D. Bradley is the story of the men who were immortalized on the Marine Corps War Memorial. It is a powerful account of six very different young men who came together in a moment that will live forever.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand tells the story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and US Airman, and the journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien is a profound study of men at war that illuminates the capacity, and the limits, of the human heart and soul. For additional reading on the Vietnam War try these titles: A Rumor Of War by Philip Caputo –and– We Were Soldiers Once… and Young by Harold G. Moore, Joseph L. Galloway

Generation Kill by Evan Wright is the funny, frightening, and profane firsthand account of the USMC First Recon Battalion, of the personal toll of victory, and of the randomness, brutality, and camaraderie of a new American war.

While this latest heat wave is almost over, we’ve still got a lot of summer to go! Here are some books set in cold climates to take your mind off that ever rising thermometer…..

Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell is set in the bitter cold of an Ozark winter. Rees Dolly, a girl of 17, must find her no-account father before she and her younger siblings are evicted. It’s also a great movie.

There’s a whole lot of sequel-ing going on in movie theaters this summer, but there are also some movies that are based on books. Give one of these a try and you decide which is better…. the movie or the book!

Leonardo DiCaprio stars in the screen version of The Great Gatsbyby F. Scott Fitzgerald, a novel of class, money, excess, identity, friendship and love.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters is based on a book by Rick Riordan. You might have met Percy before in both movie and book form… this version finds Percy fighting all sorts of monsters in the Bermuda Triangle.

World War Z by Max Brooks chronicles an attack on civilization by zombies created by a virus… Brad Pitt puts his spin on it in the movie version.

Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume tells the tale of young girl who needs to work through her grief over her father’s death. Can the movie live up to the book?

Paranoia takes you into the world of corporate espionage. Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson are two of the stars of the movie based on the book by Joseph Finder.

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare is given a modern twist by Joss Whedon.. two sets of star-crossed lovers finally find their happiness fulfilled.

Under the Dome is actually a television series based on a book by Stephen King. You know he can’t be contained in a two hour movie! A town in Maine finds itself isolated under a mysterious dome…

Mortal Instruments is another teen book turned movie. It’s based on the book called City of Bones by Cassandra Clare and full of Shadowhunters and demons and vampires and all sorts of otherwordly creatures.

So, enjoy those movies, read those books and let us know which you preferred!